Protect Thy Facebook!

I heard a news story on KARE 11 (NBC affiliate Minneapolis) this morning that made my ears perk up! Reporter Jeff Olsen talked with University of Minnesota law professor William McGeveran who said Facebook users should continue to be cautious about what they put online and how they control who sees it. He said that properly adjusted privacy settings are important for preventing identity theft and he offered some tips for protecting yourself and your children.

As the mother of a Facebook fanatic, I continually remind my daughter to be discrete about information she shares online. As a business owner whose staff educates and manages social media for clients through the Social Media Incubator, I felt compelled to share this informative news story.

McGeveran said that you should never include the year within your birth date. He also said that fun quizzes and entertaining games are set up almost entirely to get information about you and your friends, so beware!

As most of you probably know, a group of US Senators has put pressure on Facebook to change their privacy settings, which should help. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted a blog about the changes.

Published on: June 2, 2010